Tessa Short, BMus, MMus (Director)

Tessa Short is a local singer, voice teacher, and choir conductor. She studied voice at Acadia University (BMus 2013), and choral conducting at Memorial University (MMus 2018). Tessa has been fortunate enough to work with a number of acclaimed conductors and teachers, including while part of the National Youth Choir of Canada (2012, 2014), and has a broad musical and artistic history to bring to her work. While most of her training has been in classical and operatic styles, Tessa grew up singing jazz and musical theatre and considers them valuable assets and lifelong loves. While in Newfoundland for school, Tessa sang at the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and learned a great deal from the experience. She has been singing at Christ Church Dartmouth since the fall of 2018, and is very pleased to now be conducting the church’s choir full time. 

Joey Dowell, BMus (Organist and Pianist)

Joseph (Joey) Dowell was born and raised in Halifax and has been playing piano for over 20 years. He studied music with the president of the Music Teachers Association, Rafael Colado. Rafael prepared him for the Royal Conservatory of Music’s highest piano level exam and entry to Dalhousie music for a bachelor of music concentrating in solo piano performance. At Dalhousie, Joey studied with Juilliard trained pianist Lynn Stodola and performed many works by Liszt, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and many more. After graduating, Joey has been teaching private piano lessons and music theory lessons. He worked at the Halifax Music Co-Op as an instructor and accompanist for the choirs there and he currently works at Fantasie Music as an instructor. He also currently works at Christ Church as the pianist and organist for their music ministry. He enjoys collaborating with other musicians.